2024-25 Team Developments: Trades / Free Agents / News / Rumors / Ideas

I'd pitch Knecht for Missi though.

 

In a heartbeat. But New Orleans has no incentive to do that. Since the priority seems to be a lob-threat big, we must act quickly to secure at least on of them. This means, we can't wait to see how things shake out, and must be proactive in getting at least one big on draft night. Maybe we get on big in the draft (probably need to trade up), one big via trade, and one via free agency. Yanic Konan Niedenhauser has been compared to Hayes, but he is much taller, stronger, heavier, and has larger hands. For me, an sensible draft night move would be the following:

Trade Kleiber + Vincent + Knecht + 2031 1st to Brooklyn for Claxton + #26. The lowest I have seen YKN mocked is at #30, but he might move up. I would like to obtain #19 instead, but #26 might be enough to get him. I would also try to get both 26 and 27, or 26 and 36 or some other variation, but i wouldn't mind this deal being the final result, if it means we get both bigs. Then, in free agency we sign the best possible third-string big with either the 5.7 TPMLE or minimum. Our choices might be more limited a this point, after gettign two bigs, but maybe we still could sign a Jericho Sims. But there would be less pressure for this big to be a lob threat, it could be a different style of big.

 

hey, lets sign Yuki Kawamura for our outside defensive stopper!!! Yeah!!! Who says no???

 

This is the fun time to speculate on roster moves. The thing for me, is that Claxton gets mentioned so frequently, that he is probably most likely not Rob's target. Pelinka never makes the moves predicted in the media. Left field Rob should be his nickname.

 

Sign me up - that roster and time split is probably something like this come playoffs:

Luka (36) / KCP (12)
Herb (36) / KCP (12)
Trey (36) / DFS (12)
Lebron (34) / DFS (14)
Goga (32) / Capela (16)

 

Also in The Athletic piece above about the Rockets, Iko mentions how the asking price has dropped on KD.

Only a few more weeks until the roller coaster leaves the station.

 

KAT for KD makes too much sense and there's a lot of smoke around it now. I think its NY or Minnesota for KD.

 

I love Saddic Bey. He’s the perfect catch and shoot Forward three point shooter for Luka.

He doesn’t need the ball. Doesn’t need to be handling the ball. All he’s gonna do is catch and shoot threes in the corner.

 

I think Kevin Durant to the Wolves will get done to appease Anthony Edwards.

we have a great trade for them Reaves Hachimura Gabe Vincent and a 2031 1st round draft pick.

 

Duncan and Hollinger talked about trade candidates on their pod today and talked about Kessler to us specifically for a while. They both thought Knecht/2031 1st/swap was right on the edge of being a deal Utah should accept for Kessler. Duncan in particular thought now is the exact time Utah should trade Kessler; when his value is pretty high and he’s more valuable to contending teams than he is to them.

Needless to say, I’d be thrilled if Rob pulled it off.

 

LOL. Okay, sorry his name isn't Bill Smith or Austin "Big Country" Reynolds.

 

i can't envision ainge trading with us again after the lakers pulled a fast one on him and got him involved in the luka trade

 

I don’t think Kessler is enough for Knect.

 

The reality is the flip side of that.

 

when we traded for williams, i said the kessler fans should be happy because we got a guy who might actually be a better player at a lower price than ainge was likely asking. the main question was obviously health. with kessler, that's less of a concern, so his price probably is slightly higher.

i'm also where i was several months ago in not agreeing with the fans and media that utah has to trade kessler before extending him. they're a s*** FA destination, so their cap space is generally used for rental, and their books are very clean going forward. if they want to sign kessler to a competitive offer, they'll have no problem. add in that next summer few teams will have money, and i don't see any urgency. he also can't and hasn't hurt their tanking chances, so you don't have the same fear you have when keeping a top offensive option who may not be part of future plans (that you'll win too much).

a re-signed kessler is a nice piece to put next to a star or to trade for one, imo. so they don't need to move him.

i think it's more about the luka trade making us likely to be competitive into the future, lowering our pick value. but maybe that's what you meant. but i'm guessing he's not that broken up about facilitating it. we probably find someone else if he won't.

pretty sure ainge thinks he's worth more, though.


anyway, for all these reasons, i don't see kessler as very likely.

never saw adams as likely, and as much as he was a playoff star this year, i'm not actually sure he's a great fit for us. houston really mothballed him for the playoff run, and i'm not sure we can afford to pay that much for a guy we have to play sparingly. houston having his bird rights and liking him takes him out of tpmle range, too. with lebron likely opting in, the only route to full mle is letting DFS walk into air, which really isn't a great option, and certainly not for an adams-level addition, imo.

 

https://www.silverscreenandroll.com...kdown-roster-nba-offseason-free-agency-trades

some thoughts--mostly things we've discussed--about how jj appears to want his roster constructed.


the thing i keep going back to is his desire for the 5-out. we all say a lob threat/rim protecting center is the top priority--and this article leads with that--but that's generally not compatible with the 5 out, as there aren't a lot of mobile lob threat types who can also hit from outside. and the few bigs who are reliable shooters don't fit into full-on switching schemes of the kind we've seen jj favor (not even long-time favorite myles turner can do this).

i just keep thinking that jj would rather go with john collins at center than with a capela or a valanciunas or some other archetype.

and i know he's said he wanted a center. it just doesn't square with his decision making and other stated preferences.

in other news, aside from orlando, i think chicago is another team with three centers they can play and use for only two. jalen smith or zach collins could maybe be available, in addition to the ever-available vuc.

smith is another guy in that paul reed/chris boucher vein of wiry undersized guys who function best at center.

 

I just think it's too soon to say what JJ wants/doesn't want, likes/hates. He's had one, limited roster for 1 single season. Projecting anything other than what he's said on his way into the summer (needs to coach the team he has not the one he wants to have and that he in fact wants a center) is assuming this is the final version of him and I've never seen a HC not evolve...for better or worse.

I think everyone is going to bend the knee to Luka especially before he signs on that dotted line. If he wants a 7-4, 306 pound center who dribbles left and wipes right, is named Fred (no last name)...just Fred, then I think Rob will go find him one and JJ will be thrilled to play him. Keeping Luka happy translates to winning and translates to a long career here in LA.

I think in an ideal world, yeah JJ would probably prefer a 5 out, switch it all chaos lineup. But I also think he understands the importance of regular season innings eaters and variability...different pitches. All this is just guesswork until we get more of a sample size with variety in roster builds.

 

Vassell, Sochan and Barnes get them there.

Spurs trot out:
Wemby
KD
Keldon Johnson
Dylan Harper
Fox




What are they chasing? Fears, Jakucionis, and Maluach are the only 3 out of the top 5 with upside and potential that you could even squint and talk yourself into moving Johnson for. I'm not sure any of those 3 are still there at 9-10 though. Also considering their ask for him last year, they probably want a starter from either team in return as well. Cost saving move? Maybe they're looking for cost controlled assets so they can be bigger players next summer. If that's the case that further iterates that Claxton could be in play.